The ballad of a broken nose

the long version

Bart is an eternal optimist. At thirteen years old, he s had a hard life. But Bart knows that things won t get any better if you have a negative attitude. His mother has pushed him into boxing lessons so that Bart can protect himself, but Bart already has defense mechanisms: he is relentlessly positive and he loves opera. Listening to and singing opera is Bart s greatest escape, but he s too shy to share this with anyone. Then popular Ada befriends him and encourages him to perform at the school talent show. Ada can t keep a secret to save her life, but Bart bonds with her anyway, and her openness helps him realize that his troubles are not burdens that he must bear alone.